THE GREENHOUSE EFFECTS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE

JOANA C. DIAZ

The Vedantu website had the motto, "Save the world today to survive tomorrow." The globe is continuously heating up due to the increase of greenhouses today, with an estimated nine million acres of greenhouses worldwide. A greenhouse, often known as a glasshouse, is a structure created to shield delicate or out-of-season plants from severe cold or heat. Tropical flowers and tomatoes are among the plants that are grown in greenhouses. Even in the winter, a greenhouse maintains a comfortable temperature inside. Sunlight enters the greenhouse during the day and heats the air and plants within. A greenhouse has many benefits, including a controlled setting. Your greenhouse is in your hands. You who manage the space decide on the amount of light, the temperature, the amount of humidity in the air, the types of soil, and the plants you have. Being a shielded environment for plants, a greenhouse provides a refuge of safety. It lessens the accessibility of insects and other creatures that could harm or devour your plants. As a result, healthier plants grow since you have more control over the environment, you may expect your plants and vegetables to be healthier, and lush. While there are many benefits, negative effects may be encountered, particularly climate change, which may exceed the positive attributes. The main adverse effects of greenhouses include the flooding of coastal regions, the desertification of agricultural areas, and the melting of glacier masses. First, coastal regions will be flooded as a result of the greenhouse effect, resulting in floods in many low-lying areas, eroding shorelines making flooding worse, and making water supply issues in coastal areas worse. As a result of erosion and floods brought on by sea level rise, several developments along the NSW coast are in danger. The increasingly extreme weather events brought on by climate change will contribute to the increase in the effects of rising sea levels. More frequent coastal inundation, higher wave run-up levels, higher water levels in lakes and estuaries, and more flooding in coastal rivers are all almost inevitable outcomes of increased ocean water levels during storms. The second effect is on agricultural regions. Since agriculture and fisheries depend on particular climate conditions, changes in ozone, and greenhouse gases, climate change have a significant impact on agricultural producers. Climate change-related droughts and floods may make it difficult to carry out farming operations because of shifting habitat ranges, crop planting dates, and temperature fluctuations. Researchers are already observing the effects of climate change internationally and on European soil. As mentioned from an article from the European Environment Agency (EEA), greenhouse effects also induce climate change, which can damage the soil. For instance, since the 1950s, soil moisture has increased in certain regions of northern Europe and decreased in the Mediterranean region, according to the EEA's most current study on climate change, impacts, and susceptibility in Europe. Similar outcomes are predicted for the ensuing decades as average temperatures continue to climb and rainfall patterns alter, based on the findings of the said research. When soil moisture levels continue to drop, agriculture may require more irrigation, which could result in lower yields and perhaps desertification, which could have a significant impact on food production. Last but not the least, in particular, since the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have increased temperatures, even higher at the poles. As a result, glaciers are melting faster than usual, calving off into the sea, and retreating on land. As we can see, one of the factors contributing to the world's biggest issue right now is the influence greenhouse gases have on the atmosphere of our planet. These negative effects can have a hazardous effect on our planet, which we will eventually have to deal with.

Reference https://www.eea.europa.eu

-oOoThe author is Science Teacher III at Nicanor David Vergara High School